Patents Issued in June 1, 2010
  • Patent number: 7729630
    Abstract: The subject application is directed to a system and method for generating a user customizable default user interface for a document processing device. First, screen data representing each of a plurality of different user interfaces is stored. Each user interface includes visual representations of a unique subset of controls associated with operation of the associated document processing device. Identification data is then acquired from an associated user. A display is generated representing each of the different user interfaces. Selection data representing a selected user interface as a default user interface is then received. Data associating the default user interface with the identification data is stored. Thereafter, a display is generated of the default user interface upon login of the associated user on the document processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Marianne Kodimer
  • Patent number: 7729631
    Abstract: A mode setting portion sets a mode to either one of a normal mode in which a developer amount set value T is set to a base developer amount Tbase and a developer-saving mode in which the value T is set to a value smaller than the base developer amount Tbase based on a saving coefficient S. A parameter obtaining portion obtains both a cumulative number of printed sheets Pttl and a developer remaining amount Rt. A determining portion determines in the developer-saving mode whether a first inequality Rt?Tbase×Sdef×(Pmax?Pttl) is satisfied. A saving-coefficient setting portion sets the saving coefficient S to a default saving coefficient Sdef if the determining portion determines that the first inequality is satisfied, and sets the saving coefficient S to a value satisfying a second inequality Sdef<S?Rt/{Tbase×(Pmax?Pttl)} if the determining portion determines that the first inequality is not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 7729632
    Abstract: A high voltage power supply and a high voltage power control method thereof. The high voltage power supply includes a high voltage generation part to generate a high voltage, and a pulse width modulation (PWM) generation part to generate a pulse width modulation signal according to an output control value and to control the high voltage generation part to generate the high voltage using the generated pulse width modulation signal, when a high voltage output setting signal having the output control value is received by the PWM generation part to indicate the high voltage to be generated. Therefore, it is possible to automatically output a high voltage as desired without requiring an offline setting. In addition, although a voltage set and/or an output load are changed, the changed voltage set and/or the output load are automatically compensated so that a constant high voltage output can be output with a variety of different devices having different loads and power requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-moon Choi
  • Patent number: 7729633
    Abstract: An printer, such as a state of the art a high performance, electro-photographic printer. The printer includes at least one smart material sensor enclosed in the printer enclosure that monitors for the presence of a contaminant (e.g., toner or developer) above a selected threshold. Each smart material sensor is coupled to a control unit by a sensor driver coupling. When a smart material sensor finds that a contaminant is present the control unit may indicate the finding on a printer display and/or change operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: InfoPrint Solutions Company, LLC
    Inventors: Carl R. Bildstein, Timothy Bradley, Bradford Brooks, Larry M. Ernst, Joan L. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 7729634
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a process cartridge have high-durability and stably form high quality images under long-term use without reducing image density even when concentration of discharge products at the surface of an electrophotographic photoconductor becomes uneven in a discharge region of a charging unit. The apparatus employs an image forming method and has a corona discharge type charging unit discharging in a non-contact manner, the photoconductor placed to face the charging unit and the outermost surface layer thereof contains a filler and an amine compound with a specific structure, and an airflow adjusting device which carries air taken from the outside of the apparatus to the vicinity of the charging unit or the photoconductor so that ozone concentration and unevenness thereof are maintained at an average of 30 ppm or less and 15 ppm or less respectively at the surface of the photoconductor in the discharge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Nakamori, Masanobu Gondoh, Shinji Nohsho
  • Patent number: 7729635
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus body, a first unit detachably attached to the image forming apparatus body, a second unit detachably attached to the image forming apparatus body; and a movement mechanism that moves at least one of the first unit and the second unit to satisfy the condition that each of the first unit and the second unit is disposed not to hinder the other from being attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Okoshi, Naomasa Okimura, Yukinori Sezaki
  • Patent number: 7729636
    Abstract: A plurality of process cartridges are installed and removed in a lateral direction of an image forming device main body. A conveying belt unit in the device main body includes a conveying belt that upwardly conveys a sheet on which an image is to be formed and a frame that supports an entraining roller at which the conveying belt is entrained. The image forming device includes a guide that guides the plurality of process cartridges to their installed positions in the device main body. The plurality of process cartridges correspond to respective toners of a plurality of colors. Each of the process cartridges includes a housing that supports a photosensitive drum which rotates in a predetermined direction. Each of the process cartridges also includes a handle having the same color as that of the frame of the conveying belt unit and which is formed integrally with the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Ozawa, Takeshi Okoshi
  • Patent number: 7729637
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a mainframe; a process cartridge loadable in and unloadable from the mainframe; and an exposure unit that is arranged correspondingly with the process cartridge. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive body that is exposed by the exposure unit to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, and a processing device that acts on the photosensitive body; and relative positions of the photosensitive body and the processing device are changeable at the time the process cartridge is loaded and unloaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 7729638
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that rotates; and a charging member that is provided opposingly to the image carrier, and that charges a surface of the image carrier, wherein a discharge inhibitor that suppresses a discharge in an axial end portion is interposed in a portion where the charging member is opposed to the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Katahira, Osamu Handa
  • Patent number: 7729639
    Abstract: There is provided a charging apparatus which has high durability and suffers from no rust etc. and of which controllability of charged potential of a photoreceptor is hardly impaired even with a some amount of contaminants such as a toner so that control of charged potential of a photoreceptor can be stably carried out to fall in an appropriate range over a long period of time, and moreover which is inexpensive. A charging apparatus includes a needle electrode, a holding member, two cleaner members, a support member, a moving member, a shield case, and a grid electrode. A length in minor axis of a secondary aggregate of polytetrafluoroethylene contained in a polytetrafluoroethylene-containing nickel layer formed on a surface of the needle electrode is twice or less than a layer thickness of the nickel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanobu Deguchi, Syouichi Fujita
  • Patent number: 7729640
    Abstract: A carriage for an image scanning unit which scans an image on an object is provided with a light source, a reflecting member placed to face the light source and configured to reflect a light emitted from the light source toward the object to illuminate the image, a housing that contains the light source and the reflecting member, the housing having an opening which allows the light reflected by the reflecting member to pass through and proceed toward the object, and a radiation plate connected to the reflecting member so that heat is conducted from the reflecting member to the radiation plate, at least part of the radiation plate being exposed to outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Ito, Yuki Nakajima, Yoichi Horaguchi, Satoshi Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7729641
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a development container, a developer bearing member, first and second carrying members that carry developer, a supply device that supplies developer for replenishment, a discharge opening that discharges the developer contained in the development container, a controller that selectively performs one of a first mode and a second mode, a drive device that changes speeds for driving the first and second carrying members, and a counter that measures the number of sheets in the second mode. The controller sets the speed of the drive device in the second mode to be slower than in the first mode, and suspends the second mode and executes a mode for changing the speed of the drive device to a speed faster than in the second mode and driving the first and second carrying members for a predetermined time if a measurement result reaches a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7729642
    Abstract: An agent transport unit for transporting an agent from a first container to a second container includes a transport route and a pump. The transport route connects the first container and second container, and includes at least one of a first route, a second route, and a third route. The first route extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the second route extends in a substantially vertical direction, and the third route extends in a substantially inclined direction with a repose angle equal to or less than that of the agent. The pump supplies a gas flow into the transport route to transport the agent in the transport route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Matsumoto, Nobuo Iwata, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Natsumi Katoh
  • Patent number: 7729643
    Abstract: A developer supply cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, includes: a developer accommodator accommodating a developer; a discharging opening discharging the developer accommodated in the accommodator to a developer receiving opening of a developer receiving cartridge developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with the developer, and being detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus; a shutter movable between an opening position opening the discharging opening and a closing position closing the discharging opening; an engager engaging the developer receiving cartridge to receive, from the developer receiving cartridge, a force for moving the shutter from the closing to the opening position, in interrelation with a relative movement between the developer supply cartridge and the developer receiving cartridge toward each other in a mounting-and-demounting direction of the developer supply cartridge relative to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Yahagi
  • Patent number: 7729644
    Abstract: A toner cartridge including a container body having a discharge opening. A drive transmitting member is fixedly coupled with the container body near the discharge opening. The drive transmitting member is sized and shaped to transmit rotational movement to the container body. A collar is moveably coupled along the container body, and the collar closes the discharge opening in a first position, and opens the discharge opening in a second position. The cartridge further includes, in one example, a biasing element sized and shaped to bias the collar toward the first position. In another example, the drive transmitting member includes at least one deflectable support member, and the deflectable support member includes a ramped drive element. The ramped drive element includes a first ramp face, a second ramp face, and at least one driving face. Optionally, the first and second ramp faces are sloped with respect to the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Katun Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Thornton, Michael A. Kleiter, Kin Yip Ho, Zhi Ya He
  • Patent number: 7729645
    Abstract: A developer cartridge detachably mounted to a device main body includes a tubular cartridge main body that houses a developer and an extending portion that communicates with the cartridge main body, which extends from an end portion in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge main body. An outside shape of a section of the extending portion, along a direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, is smaller than that of the cartridge main body. A cartridge-side opening portion is provided at a side wall of the extending portion, and a cartridge-side shutter is provided at an outside of the side wall of the extending portion, which moves in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction along the side wall to thereby open and close the cartridge-side opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kotaro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7729646
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of vibration members configured to vibrate a regulating member that regulates a developer layer thickness on a developer bearing member, and a control unit that can execute a vibration mode which vibrates the plurality of vibration members during different periods so that the plurality of vibration members do not vibrate simultaneously when an image is not being formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motohiro Fujiwara, Akihiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7729647
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member for transporting developer to an opposing position opposing an image bearing member. Regularly-disposed concave sections are formed on a surface of the developer bearing member. An alternating voltage that includes a first voltage for moving developer from the developer bearing member toward the image bearing member and a second voltage for moving developer from the image bearing member toward the developer bearing member is applied to the developer bearing member. A cycle period of the alternating voltage is smaller than or equal to a minimum width of the concave section in a circumferential direction of the developer bearing member divided by a moving velocity of a surface of the rotating developer bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Koike, Hiroshi Kato, Shinichi Kamoshida
  • Patent number: 7729648
    Abstract: A developing roller has a surface layer composed of a binder resin having an SP value in the range of 7.5 to 9.0, and roughness-imparting particles made from a resin having an SP value that has a difference from the SP value of the resin of 2 or less in the absolute value thereof. The roughness-imparting particles are dispersed in the binder resin. A developing device is provided with the developing roller. An image-forming apparatus is provided with the developing device equipped with the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Sano, Yohei Nakade, Ichiro Demizu, Junpei Shouno
  • Patent number: 7729649
    Abstract: A system and method reduces wear on an image-forming device. The image-forming device includes one or more toner cartridges, each having an associated PC drum and transport member to transport toner images or media. Each of the PC drums maintain contact with a surface of the transport member regardless of whether they are being used to form a toner image. A controller controls the rotation of the PC drums to rotate or not rotate while in contact with the surface of the transport member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Douglas Horrall, Franklin Joseph Palumbo, Jarrett C. Gayne, Stacy Marie Pargett
  • Patent number: 7729650
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image carrying member for carrying a first toner image; a second image carrying member for carrying a second toner image in a maximum amount, of the second toner image carried on the second image carrying member, larger than a maximum amount of the first image carried on the first image carrying member; a first transfer member for electrostatically transferring the first toner image onto a transfer medium in a first transfer nip formed by bringing the transfer medium into contact with the first image carrying member; and a second transfer member for electrostatically transferring the second toner image onto the transfer medium in a second transfer nip formed by bringing the transfer medium into contact with the second carrying member so that a length of the second transfer nip with respect to a movement direction of the second transfer member is longer than a length of the first transfer nip with respect to the movement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Tamaki
  • Patent number: 7729651
    Abstract: A web cleaning system for a fuser system includes a web which is biased into contact with a rotating cylindrical member, such as a fuser roll, as the fuser roll is rotated about its axis of rotation. A lateral displacement system displaces the web, relative to the cylindrical member, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylindrical member. In this way, regions of the web which have become contaminated with collected toner are shifted laterally, thus avoiding oversaturation of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John Poxon, Nicholas Baxter, Ian Pitts, Pieter Mulder, Martin Callis, Riley Brede
  • Patent number: 7729652
    Abstract: A belt fixing unit has a fixing roller and a pressing roller that are provided in a pair midway along a transport passage through which paper having a toner image formed thereon is transported from bottom to top approximately in a vertical direction and that fix the toner image on the paper, a heating roller that is provided parallel to and in a position approximately horizontal to the fixing roller and that incorporates a heater for heating the fixing roller, and a fixing belt that is formed as an endless belt and that is wound around and between the fixing roller and the heating roller. A non-contact temperature sensor for controlling the fixing temperature is provided on a non-contact basis in the paper passage region on the surface of the upper one of the parts of the fixing belt facing each other up and down between the fixing roller and the heating roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ito, Chisato Hatakeyama, Kunihiko Ishii
  • Patent number: 7729653
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method for cleaning a photoreceptor are realized that allow cleaning a surface of the photoreceptor to eliminate foreign substances adhering thereto, without using a special abrasive sheet. A recording sheet is fed and brought into contact with photoreceptors of all photoreceptor drums. The recording sheet is stopped by causing the vicinity of a rear end of the recording sheet to be sandwiched between a pair of registration rollers. Then, the photoreceptor drums are rotated. By this way, the cleaning is carried out to the photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawamoto, Jitsuo Masuda, Masayasu Narimatsu, Naoki Fukudo
  • Patent number: 7729654
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade for contacting to a rotatable image bearing member and removing toner from the image bearing member; an auxiliary cleaning member, disposed upstream of the cleaning blade with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member, for assisting cleaning operation of the cleaning blade; and a sheet contacted to the auxiliary cleaning member and to a surface of the cleaning blade which is remote from the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuro Awaya
  • Patent number: 7729655
    Abstract: An essay is analyzed automatically by accepting the essay and determining whether each of a predetermined set of features is present or absent in each sentence of the essay. For each sentence in the essay a probability that the sentence is a member of a certain discourse element category is calculated. The probability is based on the determinations of whether each feature in the set of features is present or absent. Furthermore, based on the calculated probabilities, a sentence is chosen as the choice for the discourse element category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Educational Testing Service
    Inventors: Jill Burstein, Daniel Marcu, Martin Sanford Chodorow, Claudia Leacock, Vyacheslav Andreyev
  • Patent number: 7729656
    Abstract: An amplification circuit that enables a network amplifier to amplify multiple mobile telephone signals transmitted at different frequencies. The amplification circuit includes a first diplexer which receives a first signal having a first frequency band and a second signal having a second frequency band. The first diplexer generates a combined signal containing both the first and the second signals. The combined signal is amplified by a single low noise amplifier to generate an amplified combined signal. A second diplexer receives the amplified combined signal and separates the amplified combined signal into a first amplified signal having the first frequency band and a second amplified signal having the second frequency band. The resultant signals can then be transmitted by the network amplifier to a target destination, such as a handset or base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Wilson Electronics
    Inventor: V. Alan Van Buren
  • Patent number: 7729657
    Abstract: The reduction of echo noise in satellite communications includes receiving an aggregate signal from multiple remote stations, where the aggregate signal includes a transmit signal, whose bandwidth is in the range of 0.1 MHz to 66 MHz, is previously sent from a hub to the multiple receiving stations, computing a scaled, delayed and distorted replica of the transmit signal and using the replica to compensate for satellite transponder nonlinearities and reduce echo noise interference from a received aggregate signal received by the hub from the multiple remote stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventors: Abel Avellan, Sergio Godoy, Sriram Jayasimha, Jyothendar Paladugula
  • Patent number: 7729658
    Abstract: Reference dictionaries and data dictionaries are used in order to analyze data in data formats, which cannot be directly processed and which are communicated between geodesic units. These dictionaries are transmitted preferably in conjunction with the transmission of the data and they index analyzable data fields in data formats. When a geodesic unit receives a data format that cannot be directly processed, data fields, which can be analyzed by the reference dictionary, can be found and data fields, which cannot be analyzed by a data dictionary, can be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Hans-Jürgen Euler
  • Patent number: 7729659
    Abstract: A method signals a quality of range estimates in a UWB network. For each range estimate, a confidence level of a range estimate is signaled, a confidence interval for the range estimate is signaled, and a confidence interval scaling factor for the confidence interval is signaled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas F. Molisch, Jinyun Zhang
  • Patent number: 7729660
    Abstract: A communication device able to share one antenna and in addition able to sufficiently exhibit characteristics of a function as a reader, writer and a card function, a non-contact type IC card provided with that, and an information apparatus, wherein the device has a first transmission circuit 220 having first and second output terminals and outputting a carrier from the first and second output terminals in a first mode; an antenna circuit 210 including a node ND210, an inductor 211 having one end connected to the node, and having the other end connected to the second output terminal of the first transmission circuit, and a capacitor 212 connected between the node and the first output terminal of the first transmission circuit; a second transmission circuit 230 connected to the node of the antenna circuit and outputting the transmission data in a second mode; at least one reception circuit 240 connected to the node of the antenna circuit and performing reception processing with respect to data received at the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Kondo, Kenichi Kamiyama, Yukio Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7729661
    Abstract: A wireless communication game system includes a plurality of mobile game apparatuses, which function as a parent device or a child device and are capable of making a communication with each other, and broadcasts from the parent device a parent device packet including a parent device PID, a user name UserName, a game name GameName, an OC flag, an E slot, a U slot, and a payload. All the parent device packets are received from the parent device existing within a communicationable range of a user's own apparatus, and the user's own apparatus creates a parent device list, and displays the parent device list on an LCD. Therefore, a user or a player of his own apparatus looks at the game name of the parent device list, for example, and operates a cross key included in an operation key so as to select one desired parent device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoya Tanaka, Masato Kuwahara, Toru Oe, Teruyuki Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 7729662
    Abstract: A method for radio communication in a wireless local area network including at least one transceiver equipped with an antenna with a controlled directivity pattern, according to which, in addition to the assignment in advance of the threshold value of communication quality H0 corresponding to the minimum pre-specified communication quality, the current value of communication quality Qcur is periodically determined based on the signal being received, the threshold value of the communication quality Hmax (corresponding to the pre-specified maximum communication quality) is also additionally assigned in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Airgain, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Jurievich Abramov, Lev Grigorievich Burov, Alexander Nikolaevich Kirdin
  • Patent number: 7729663
    Abstract: A technique for modifying communication operational parameters using fast, low complexity, accurately calculated SNR values. Techniques may improve upon prior art by calculating SNR values in a more color noise insensitive manner in the frequency domain. An agent may be implemented to calculate SNR values and either store or use the SNR values to modify operational parameters in communicative system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sigang Qiu, Chih-Kang Chen, Kerry Cai
  • Patent number: 7729664
    Abstract: During a telephony session, a determination is made on a mobile computing device that one or more designated conditions exist by which radio interference generated from the mobile computing device is to be reduced. In response, a power state of a set of one or more components of the mobile computing device is lowered. This reduces radio interference from those components. The set of components are ancillary to the mobile computing device's ability to maintain the telephony session, so that the telephony session is not affected by the reduction of power to the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Palm, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Sorensen, Jerome Tu
  • Patent number: 7729665
    Abstract: A transmitting/receiving apparatus of down-link data using an automatic repeat request (ARQ) scheme and a method thereof in a wireless communication system is provided. In order to send an ARQ feedback message between a base station and a terminal without a radio resource allocation process in a wireless communication system, when the base station receives down-link data from the terminal of the base station, the base station stores the number list of the transmitted frames and periodically detects the list and automatically allocates radio resources for up-link without an additional process when the list is larger than a predetermined frame. The radio resource allocation request process can be omitted because a radio resource is automatically allocated during the up-link period after the base station transmits the down-link traffic. Thus, the response speed of an ARQ feedback acknowledgement message is enhanced, thereby enhancing a down-link transmission speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, KT Corporation, SK Telecom Co., Ltd., Hanaro Telecom., Inc.
    Inventors: Nak-Woon Sung, Nam-Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 7729666
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a system and method of dynamic space-frequency-division multiple-access for the uplink from terminals to a base-station. The system includes a base-station and multiple terminals. According to different spatial mapping modes, the base-station performs an optimization computation using an optimization function in order to obtain control information for controlling terminals; after receiving the control information, the user terminal controls the transmitting mode using this control information. The method includes the following operations: at the base-station, performing an optimization computation using an optimization function according to different spatial mapping modes respectively, in order to obtain control information for controlling terminals; at the user terminal, controlling a transmitting mode using the control information after receiving the above control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhan Zhang, Hidetoshi Kayama
  • Patent number: 7729667
    Abstract: A linearizer for reducing intermodulation distortion in a non-linear device. The novel linearizer includes an input port for receiving a signal from the device and a circuit for effecting gain expansion on the signal that counteracts a gain compression of the device. In an illustrative embodiment, the circuit includes a starved limiter in shunt with the device, implemented using a pair of biased diodes D1 and D2. The first diode D1 is connected to ground and the second diode D2 is coupled to the signal. In an alternate embodiment, the linearizer also includes a second pair of biased diodes D3 and D4, D3 connected to ground and D4 coupled to the signal, and a plurality of reactive elements for increasing the operational bandwidth of the linearizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Marlin C. Smith, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7729668
    Abstract: A predistorter for reducing spurious emissions in an amplified signal including a first path configured to generated memory-less distortion correction and one or more second paths configured to generate memory distortion correction. The paths contain one or more dynamically controllable delay circuits that are configured such that the memory-less and memory distortion correction remains independent irrespective of frequency of use of the predistorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Andrew LLC
    Inventor: Michael David Leffel
  • Patent number: 7729669
    Abstract: A system and method for amplifying cellular signals and reducing interference introduced into a cellular network by the network amplifiers. The network amplifier includes an antenna configured to receive a downlink signal from a base station and a variable gain module for amplifying an uplink signal received from a handset. The variable gain module applies an amplification factor to the uplink signal to generate an adjusted uplink signal to be transmitted to the base station via the antenna. A processor is used for determining a value of the amplification factor, where the value of the amplification factor is a function of a level of the downlink signal. The amplification factor may be selected so that interference introduced into a cellular network by the transmission of the adjusted uplink signal is substantially eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Wilson Electronics
    Inventors: V. Alan Van Buren, Volodymyr Skrypnyk, Patrick L. Cook
  • Patent number: 7729670
    Abstract: A method and system for minimizing power consumption in a communication system is provided. The method may include adjusting the supply voltage of pre-driver for a power amplifier, which may be used for amplifying a RF signal, in proportion to the envelope of the baseband of the RF signal. The signals may correspond to a variety of communication protocols. For example, WCDMA, HSDPA, HSUDPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WiMAX, OFDM, UWB, ZigBee, and BlueTooth. The signal may be delayed by a number of samples before being input into the pre-driver. The envelope may be measured by evaluating a plurality of I and Q samples from the signal. The number of samples may be calculated by measuring the intermodulation distortion at the output of the amplifier. The supply voltage may be generated by a switching regulator. The method may also include adjusting a supply voltage and bias voltage for a power amplifier in proportion to said envelope of said signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 7729671
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for enhancing efficiency by modulating power amplifier (PA) gain are presented. Aspects of the system may comprise a PA gain modulator that enables modification of an amplitude of a digital baseband signal. A baseband processor may enable computation of a first gain value based on the modification. The baseband processor may enable computation of a second gain value based on the first gain value. A PA may enable generation of an RF output signal based on the modified digital baseband signal and the second gain value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Afsahi, Vikram Magoon, Arya Behzad
  • Patent number: 7729672
    Abstract: An RF output power amplifier (PA) of a cellular telephone includes first and second Class AB amplifier circuits. If the cellular telephone is to operate in a high power operating mode, then the first amplifier drives the PA output terminal. The power transistor(s) in the first amplifier is/are biased at a first DC current and a first DC voltage so as to optimize efficiency and linearity at high output powers. If the cellular telephone is to operate in a low power operating mode, then the second amplifier drives the output terminal. The power transistor(s) in the second amplifier is/are biased at a second DC current and a second DC voltage so as to optimize efficiency and linearity at low output powers. By sizing the power transistors in the amplifiers appropriately, emitter current densities are maintained substantially equal so that PA power gain is the same in the two operating modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
    Inventors: Junxiong Deng, Prasad Gudem
  • Patent number: 7729673
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provide multichannel signal limiting to prevent any channel signal within a multichannel signal from exceeding defined limits, while still preserving the gain and/or amplitude relationships among the individual channel signals. A limiter is configured to calculate a limiting factor as the value needed to prevent a limit violation on the worst-case one of the channel signals, and then commonly apply that limiting factor to the gain control of all channel signals. Thus, the limiter may generate an actual gain value for each channel signal as the product of that channel signal's desired gain value and the current value of the limiting factor. Notably, in multichannel audio signal applications, coordinating gain control across the individual audio channels by use of the commonly applied limiting factor prevents undesirable spatial shifting of the soundstage, e.g., shifting of the stereo image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Eric Douglas Romesburg, Stefan Gustavsson
  • Patent number: 7729674
    Abstract: A multi-band communication device with a front end antenna switch module and shared bias circuit is disclosed. Control inputs determine signal routing and amplifier biasing in response to the communication device's mode or band of operation. A received signal is routed to an active path, which corresponds to the band of the received signal. A received signal is selectively switched to one or more switch outputs, which connect to one or more filters matched to the band of the received signal. After filtering, the signal is directly provided to an active amplifier. An amplifier is activated by a bias signal received from a shared bias circuit. The shared bias circuit generates a bias signal which is selectively switched to an amplifier associated with an active path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Terrence John Shie, Russell David Wyse, Jinhua Zhong
  • Patent number: 7729675
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for injecting a gain compensation value into a signal path of a receiver for a predetermined time when a change to a control value for an amplifier of the receiver occurs. This gain compensation value may be used to at least substantially remove a gain change caused by the change to the control value, improving audio performance by reducing or removing audible artifacts caused by the gain change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew W. Krone
  • Patent number: 7729676
    Abstract: An integrated receiver with channel selection and image rejection substantially implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit is described. A receiver front end provides programmable attenuation and a programmable gain low noise amplifier. Frequency conversion circuitry advantageously uses LC filters integrated onto the substrate in conjunction with image reject mixers to provide sufficient image frequency rejection. Filter tuning and inductor Q compensation over temperature are performed on chip. The filters utilize multi track spiral inductors. The filters are tuned using local oscillators to tune a substitute filter, and frequency scaling during filter component values to those of the filter being tuned. In conjunction with filtering, frequency planning provides additional image rejection. The advantageous choice of local oscillator signal generation methods on chip is by PLL out of band local oscillation and by direct synthesis for in band local oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Klaas Bult, Ramon A. Gomez
  • Patent number: 7729677
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of wireless communications, more particularly to a method of and device for switching between antennae in communication with a diversity receiver, each of the antennae receiving signals transmitted from a single source. A packet from a transmitter is received by respective antenna communicating with a diversity receiver. The signal strength of the preamble of the packet received in a first antenna is sampled. If the signal strength is of sufficient magnitude to affect reliable reception, the associated antenna is selected for the duration of the packet transmission. If the signal strength is below a predetermined threshold the signal strength of the preamble of the packet received in a second antenna is sampled and compared to the sample associated with the first antenna. If the magnitude of the second sample is greater, the signal associated with the second antenna is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventors: Aryan Saed, Phil Guillemette
  • Patent number: 7729678
    Abstract: Controllable operational transconductance power amplifier (controllable power OTA) including an input stage receiving a differential input signal (Ovin) and deriving therefrom first (i1) and second (i2) low power current signals being coupled to first (ccs1) and second (ccs2) current controlled output current sources being arranged in class B push pull configuration. To obtain an effective gain control while securing power efficiency and linearity, the overall gain of the power OTA is controlled by varying the gain or transconductance of the input stage (c15) and by the use of means for bi-directionally rectifying said first (i1) and second (io) low power current signals and providing in mutual alternation power amplification of said first (i1) and second (i2) low power current signals into first (I01) and second (Io2) mutually exclusive high power current output signals, which are supplied through a current summer to a current output (I0) of said linear power amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Ideas to Market (ITOM) BV
    Inventor: Wolfdietrich Georg Kasperkovitz
  • Patent number: 7729679
    Abstract: In an apparatus, method, and system for reducing interference with an input signal to an FM receiver, a plurality of inputs are filtered by a first stage of filters. The outputs are received by an interference detector and further processed by a second filtering stage, an energy calculation stage, and a comparator stage. A switch, responsive to the outputs of the comparator stage, may output one of the first stage filter outputs based on a first set of comparator outputs and may output an interpolated value determined by the first stage filter outputs and based on a second set of comparator outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Cheng-Chieh Lee